Vietnam War Years at Korat, NKP, and Utapao 1970-75 Direct combat support 

Thanks Bernie. Us ammo troops spent a lot of time on the perimeter too. Nice to see you guys patrolling the area of the bomb dump. Do you remember the frogs that came out during the monsoon season? What a racket in the hootch area. Every puddle was full of them. Loved the scuba diving there too, we got on a boat at the end of the runway near the outdoor theater.

@@allenmeguide Funny, I don't remember the frogs, but I do remember the rice bugs, and there were fish that would show up in puddles after the rain in areas that were nowhere near water, just dry ground before it rained. I don't know how that worked. I also remember it raining hard on the next post down, when my post was dry, it was like a curtain you could see where the rain ended. We rented a boat once, but never did any diving in Thailand. I did 4 years at Kelly AFB after I left Thailand, took a Scuba course with a retired chief that owned a dive shop. All they had in San Antonio were lakes, so I put in for Guam an did 3 years of great diving there. I do remember the outdoor theater, but I don't remember going to see anything. They had one on Guam as well, one of those theaters was called The Washout Theater, but I can't remember which one. Maybe it was both. I still can't remember the frogs, even after thinking about it for awhile. My gray matter must be getting sticky.

@@utapao74 At Korat the ricebugs would come into the bomb dump at night, drawn to the lights. They sold for a nickel apiece downtown. Looked like giant cockroaches and smelled like mint. I was surprised to find that we have them here in Maine, but much smaller. Plenty of snakes and lizards in the bomb dumps at every base it seemed.

@@allenmeguide I worked with a guy from Lousiana that said they had rice bug there as well. At Utapao, a bus driver stopped the bus to get one and threw it in a bucket which I assumed had more in. I was fortunate enough not to see any snakes, that I remember anyway. Guys I worked with had snake stories, but not me. I did see one klong monster, which looked like a small crocodile. It was from a distance and I wasn't in a position to go after it or anything. I arrived at work on mids one night and bumped into a guy I knew on swing shift who was getting off work. He looked shook up so I asked what was up. He said he ran over a snake that was about 30 feet long and almost rolled the jeep. The only ones I saw were in cages at a couple of the on-base snack bars.

We might have been at Utapao at the same time. I was a 461. Worked with EOD at Korat.

@@allenmeguide I was still Ammo when I was at Utapao worked Munitions Inspection and AFTO 15s.

@@eodmax spent two years at Korat and then went to Luke then over to Utapao. TDY to NKP stayed in ammo till I got out. Would have stayed in ammo to get into EOD.

@@eodmax started in Korat for two years then went stateside to Luke. Then back over to Utapao until things ended. Liked working with EOD and if I stayed in I would have persude that field.

@@allenmeguide Went from Tech school to Hill AFB 2727 Airmunitions Test Sq PCS To Chia-yi Taiwan 67-68 with TDY to NKP in 67. Went to Tyndall AFB 68-71 with TDY to Phan Rang RVN Tet 69 and Kadena Okinawa 70 for 179 days. PCS to Lowry AFB as Munitions Instructor (non-volunteer) 71-73 with TDY to Udorn & Ubon for 179 days in 72 . PCS to Utapao 73-74 then COT to Moron AB Spain. PCS to MacDill AFB FL 78-79 NCOIC Munitions Inspection until I cross trained to EOD July 79.

Hi Randall, Watching that SR-71 take off was awesome. It went down the runway then the pilot pulled back on the stick and it went straight up until it was out of sight. Only saw a couple of them in Thailand and Okinawa. Impressive aircraft for sure! Bet the Skunkworks has something even better than that today zipping along.

I saw that too. Was surprised to see an SR 71 out in the open. I was (CC on 135) at Kadena in 71-72 and there were at least 3 there and were in hangers normally with the hanger doors almost closed or completely closed. I was at Don Muang RTAFB Bangkok for 5 months in June through October 72 (Linebacker l) with a few days at UTapao. Saw U2's taking off and landing there (UT) Spend 3 months at Kadena and CCK for Linebacker ll Dec 72 to Feb 73. Quite a time then.